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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. kick — in football
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. swing — to play on
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. swing — in golf
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. swing — music
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. ground — crushed
  11. ground — a position
  12. bound — certain
  13. foot — a measure
  14. ground — the earth
  15. rash — hasty
  16. bound — tied together
  17. rash — a series
  18. bound — obliged

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com